Threads of the Soul

Chapter 488 - 488: Lightning Tiger

It had been a few hours since the end of the awards ceremony, and one of the silent agents had just finished securing their extraction route through the right bribes to the right people. Crossing the oceans were considered incredibly suicidal, because it generally was.But that didn't mean no-one did it. There was always some insane people willing to do the dangerous deeds for money, even if that money would be worthless when you were dead, such things never mattered to some.

The man in question was not a powerful one by any degree, but he was crafty, which is partly why these spies worked with someone like him. The crafty and cunning were easy, you knew they were always planning to double cross you or act like scum does, it was just a matter of when and that was usually when the job was done and they could demand more payment for silence.

This crafty scum's methods for crossing the seas were not using his own powers, but those of a Selkie he had captured. The Selkie was an evolved seal that gained the curious trait of shape shifting. It could transform itself from its more seal-like appearance, to a fully humanoid appearance. But in doing so, it had to literally shed its skin.

Without the skin, it could not transform back and was stuck in the land of man. It's curiosity into the human world had led to this man finding its skin and hiding it, to coerce the Selkie to do his bidding.

Treating it as a 'wife' of sorts, as well as using its other ability to cross the seas carefully. Even in human form, this Selkie could use its singing voice to control or influence aquatic life. Either by steering them away, or tricking their senses and convincing them that they didn't exist at all.

After confirming the validity of these claims, and paying the cunning scumbag half of his payment, the Russian spy known by the Code-name 'Lightning Tiger' was racing across the Scottish countryside in the direction of his comrade.

His hands and legs had turned into the limbs of the animal he was named after, as black bolts of lightning crackled across his body like stripes. Running like this, he easily crossed the countryside as nothing more than a blur, easily reaching over 100 miles per hour without sacrificing his reaction speed or manoeuvrability.

It didn't take him long to reach the lake where his comrade was waiting. A subtle signal lead him to his hidden position, as Lightning Tiger slowed down to avoid giving himself away with his light show.

He stopped on a hill far from the lake, where his comrade was laying and watching the area with his eagle eyes.

"Where is the target?" He immediately asked with a monotonous tone, not bothering exchanging pleasantries or greetings.

"At lake surface. He is... talking, to abomination that looks like fish."

Lightning Tiger's face twisted in disgust at the mention of the abomination, cursing it out under his breath. Why some countries allowed such things to even exist, he had no idea. Cleansing the motherland of such things had been their Supreme Captains first decree, one he had been glad to follow.

Even if the Captain submitted himself to the ones they called 'Gods' he knew that it was just a tactic to get close, take all he could of worth from them, before he killed them and took over their thrones.

Just like he had done when all of this started, and the old government thought they could retain their seats as worthless mortals.

"Wait," His comrade said, drawing Lightning Tigers attention, "He is leaving. The abomination is taking him under the lake. Permission to follow?"

Lightning Tiger frowned, considering it for a few moments, before nodding. They had remained undetected for so long, there was little to worry about. These people were just like the old governments, far too comfortable in their old power and had grown weak in their peaceful days.

For that, it was only right that they cleansed them and took what rightfully belonged to the strong.

Receiving his superiors confirmation, the other spies eyes glowed brightly, before his body slumped down unconscious. At the same moment, a glowing eagle erupted from his back and took to the skies.

The eagle quickly shimmered, its glow fading as it disappeared into nothingness and became undetectable to the eyes of the living, at least for the most part.

The Spiritual Eagle flew over to the lake, pulled its wings in and dove into the depths of the water. It passed through the liquid without so much as a splash, before spreading its wings and flying through the water as easily as the air.

It quickly found the pair, the abomination and their target, travelling through the water in a bubble created by the abomination.

It followed them, silently and undetected, through the water until they came to a chamber beneath the bed of the lake, then through that chamber until they came to a towering arch way.

The ghostly eagle perched itself on a jutting outcrop. It ignored the two men greeting each other again and chatting idly between themselves, alongside even more vile abominations, as it was utterly enraptured by the structure before it.

It's eyes swept over the towering archway, drinking in every detail of its construction and the runic symbols intricately carved into the stones.

Outside of the lake, the limp body of the eagle spirited spy spoke, his voice distant and monotonous.

"I've found it. The entry site. They are standing outside of it now."

Lightning Tiger perked up at the sound of that, quickly relaying the information to his superiors, before leaning in close and whispering in the ear of his semi-unconscious comrade.

"Is the artifact there? Can you see it?"

The eagle looked over them all and focused intently on the surrounding area, before shaking its head and relaying its disappointment back to its physical body.

"Negative. No sight of the artifact. They are activating the site, it must be inside. I'll need to go in to see where it leads and get the transport code."

The eagle spread its wings as the Heaven's Gateway came to life, its runes lighting up in sequence before a swirling doorway of light opened underneath its arch. The two men casually walked inside, talking to each other without a care, leaving the fish-men behind to stand guard.

None of them able to see the eagle that flew into the portal before it closed.