Threads of the Soul

Chapter 436 - 436: Handsome

Handsome?! Corvus had to restrained himself from expressing his disgust at being called that by this creature.Not just because it was some horrific insect disguising itself - rather poorly mind you - as a human and was hitting on him. But it was also the fact that if that horrific insect thought he was handsome, then... what did that say about his looks?

I mean sure, he couldn't help his ravishing good looks. But this was a little ridiculous, plus his lusciously good looks were hidden behind his hood... weren't they?

He was almost compelled to reach up and check, just to make sure he hadn't accidentally messed up his disguise and revealed his identity.

But before he could move, the ego of the American proved ever more reliable than any enchantment he could give his equipment.

"Him?! You call him Handsome when I am standing right here?! You can't even see his face! I thought with so many eyes you would at least be able to notice something so simple as who the best looking is.

In fact, even a blind woman would be able to know simply by being in my presence."

The clicking growl rumbled from the Insect woman's throat once more as she glared at the American.

"Why would I be concerned with something so pathetic as the appearance of a skin bag? As for you... You disgust me most of all."

Corvus let out a deep sigh, placing a hand on either one of them and gently pushing them apart before they started to kill each other. As amusing as that would be, and as much as he would want to be rid of this irritating man, he was needed. Not just to leave here, but to manage his people once they left.

Although none of them had discussed it yet, the death of multiple leaders had left a power vacuum. One that the people of those countries might not have realised existed yet, making it possible for one of them to fill it before that happened if they so wished.

Beyond that, with their enemies trying to invade them from the outside and corrupt them into becoming traitors of their own race, it was even more important to keep themselves unified. Only together would they be able to defeat this enemy. Not as people or even a singular species.

But as a unified planet in defiance of those who saw themselves as their rightful masters. the only problem was... some might have a different idea of how to achieve that unity, such as having it under the banner of a singular ruler.

The Emperor of Earth was a very enticing position, after all.

"Enough of this. You are acting like children. Who cares who likes the looks of who, this isn't a goddamned school-yard. This is serious, so pack it in." He jabbed his fingers into their chests as he scolded them like the school children they were acting like.

Turning his attention to the American, he gave him another push towards where they had set up camp. "Go get some rest and inform the others of the plan. We have an hour to prepare before we go down and we need everyone in the best possible condition otherwise we could all die."

Xander scrunched his face in anger, his irritation and wounded ego evident on his face, before he turned and stormed off down the hill like a petulant child, causing Corvus to sigh again.

He gestured to the insect woman, speaking in a resigned voice.

"Now, please fill us in on what we can expect in these tunnels. We don't have much time to prepare."

"Gladly~"

***

An hour later, the ragtag group made their way down the cliffside as they descended into the depths of the cavern. Astra and the Russian Captain descended through the air slowly, one flying through in her transformed state while the other was surrounded by a swirling mass of air that buffeted his fall.

The Lion-Centaur, the Chinese Emperor Yuan and a few other strength or physical based individuals simply dug their hands, claws, paws or what have you into the side of the wall and used it to slow their fall as they slid down.

The individual that helped the most was the Insect Woman, who revealed herself not be an insect in fact but an arachnid. More specifically, a spider, as she wove harnesses and rope from her own silk to allow the rest to repel down while she simply walked down the wall as easily as she did the ground.

It was quite eery watching her simply step off the edge and shuffle down in her gothic dress. She was like some kind of vampire, if you didn't think about the spider-legs scuttling beneath the dress that gave her such a regal and gliding stroll.

Corvus stayed at the top, watching the repelling individuals, and making sure nothing was going to come along and cut the ropes. That wasn't the only concern, as every time people repelled past the gaping holes in the wall, they slowed and stared into it with wariness.

Skittering and chittering sounds came from within, as well as a few other disgusting noises, but that was it. However that only fuelled their imaginations and anxiety more.

Once everyone was safely down, Corvus simply stepped off the edge and fell to the bottom. Just before he hit the ground, he turned his body into its soul state and used the spiritual energy to slow his fall.

To those watching his fall, he simply vanished into thin air. They looked around in confusion, trying to find where he went, only for his voice to sound from behind them where he now stood.

"What are you standing around for? Let's go, we don't have much time to waste."

With that, they began to march through the canyon. They moved as a group, with the most vulnerable in the middle and the Celestial fighters forming a loose ring around them, even if a few of the leaders thought this was their way of looking down on those not yet at Celestial.

Regardless, the Spider Woman took point, leading them towards the entrance that was right according to her instincts. Corvus and Astra took either side of her, then the Captain and Yuan, before finally Xander and the Lion took up the rear.

It wasn't long before the ground beneath their feet started to crunch and shatter from their foot falls. A glance down revealed that the ground itself was littered with bones of all sorts. While none of it was human, that didn't exactly create a more reassuring thought in many of their minds.

Especially since some of the bones were rather large, such as the skull of a massive mammoth like beast sitting beside one of the entryways, with the bones stained green from the thick and viscous substance hanging off of it in places.

Some of the bones were old, some fresh, but all had been picked clean of every morsel of meat.

'No matter how much I try to avoid it... Fate always has to drag me back to necromancy. Perhaps it was my calling in another life.

Well... At least it's not a rotting corpse. That's something...'

Despite his mental resignations, Corvus waved his hand dramatically to give the others a show as he mentally cast his threads out into the air. They connected to hundreds of different bones, pulling them together as they clanked and bounced across the ground.

One by one they connected themselves together, even when they did not originally belong to the same creature, like some twisted jigsaw puzzle that would make Frankenstein proud.

A dozen bone golems rose from the grave at their masters call and split into two teams, reinforcing the front and the back of the pack as they moved forwards.

It was an act that got some disgusted looks from those they were protecting, and also earned him a very concerning look from the Spider-woman in front. It gave him the truly horrific feeling that, for some god forsaken reason, this made her want to jump his bones, in whatever twisted and unholy to nature way that would manifest.

Once she was done giving Corvus the creeps the Spider-lady led them into a particularly large hole, one of the largest that Corvus could see. Step by step they traversed away from the light of the alien sun and into the depths of the planet, as soon enough the group was plunged into darkness.

Tiny stars floated from Astra's hands and various illuminating Requitals were summoned, allowing the group to see once more.

They were surrounded on all sides by dirt stained green by the strange substance, which squelched beneath their feet like soggy mud. Soon enough, a new source of light joined them in the tunnel.

A soft, pulsating yellow light that emanated from hundreds of small, spherical growths stuck to the walls by the same viscous substance. Their light came from within the growths and pulsated like a heart beat, pumping over and over, briefly revealing a darkness hidden within the orbs. A darkness that wriggled at their presence.