Chapter 658: Soul Torn

Chapter 658: Soul Torn

Leung froze as he stared at the glittering crystal idol in the middle of the chamber. Soft angry hisses could be heard from inside his soul as Nerssia walked over, carrying the idol in her hands. She took before Leung and the Duchess and declared in triumphant, "Lord Ramuh stands before you! Kneel in His presence and confess all your sins!"

"Eh... Can I... I mean we... not do that?" Leung tried to joke his way out as he felt a strange sense of forbidding from the crystal idol. "I know he's your god and all... But... you know? Freedom of religion?"

An unworldly aura was suddenly given off by the idol and forced Leung and Duchess Manarva onto their knees hard and they could only bend their heads down under its pressure. Nerssia continued to speak as if not sensing their distress, "My Lord Ramuh! These two have been chosen as candidates for your accession onto the mortal realm!"

"Can... you... shut... up... for once...?" Duchess Manarva panted as she cursed at Leung next to her. "Will it... kill you... to not speak...!"

"VERY... WELL..." The aging voice of Ramuh rumbled in their heads as the crystal idol appraised them.

Originally, Nerssia wanted to use herself as the host for Lord Ramuh but her plans changed once she encountered Leung and Duchess Manarva. Leung seemed to possess some unorthodox teachings of Lord Ramuh and he looked young and healthy, while he did not possess good looks, his strange features and ears made him unique and different from everyone.

As for the Tri State Duchess, it was a bonus to find her on the floating island. It would be a great gain for the Protectorate if Lord Ramuh successfully merge with her soul, gaining her flesh body. With her identity as the Duchess of Lightning, returning her with Lord Ramuh residing in her soul would allow Lord Ramuh to subvert and convert the people of the Tri State to his faith.

The Grand Marshal of the Tri State will never thought to suspect the changed Duchess and if she was unsuitable to be the host of Lord Ramuh, the most was that she would turn into a soul torn fool from the failed process. And Nerssia would also not break her promise of the temporary pact with the Tri State as the Duchess's life was technically not harmed.

With these two unexpected candidates appearing at the right time, she felt excited that very soon, she will be able to stand right next to Lord Ramuh as he brings Judgement down on this lawless and disorderly world! And even if these two failed as hosts for Lord Ramuh, she still have dozens of candidates including herself to fall back on. Just the thought of it made her wet and she flushed with anticipation as she held the idol over the two kneeling at her feet.

"BE... HONORED..." The body of the crystal idol radiated brightly as a beam of white light was cast over the prostrating Duchess. She let out a cry of pain as she felt her soul on fire. Suddenly, with a burst of desperation, Leung lunged over and pushed the Duchess out of the way of the light beam and it shone over his body. Instantly, he curled up like a shrimp and screamed as his soul was being ripped out.

Nerssia frowned at the act but otherwise did not, instead under her mask, she sneered at the pale and sweating Duchess sprawled on the floor. She coldly laughed at Leung who was screaming on the floor, knowing that it did not really matter who became the host of Lord Ramuh, for once He entered the mortal realm, He shall rule the world!

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Leung was never a hero nor a good samaritian. While he might have notions of helping the occasional damsel in distress, it was more to feed his ego and only if it was a pretty face. For some reason, hearing the scream of pain from the icy Duchess made him lose his reason. He admit that he was attracted to the milfy looking Duchess and knowing his soul was damned for eternity, at that moment, he decided to be a hero.

He continued to battle yet the snake resisted all His attempts in trying to destroy it as it continued to absorb the divinity of Ramuh causing him to grow weaker. "DAMN... YOU!"

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The battle between two Gods inside Leung's body had him sweating blood. He wanted to faint but yet was unable to and he could only suffer in agony as he witness the battle of two Gods vying for control of his body.

"ENOUGH!" Ramuh roared once more, the roar of His voice in Leung's head made him feel like his brains were being beaten into mush. Ramuh halted his absorption of Leung's soul and sought to pull away from his body but the snake did not allow it. It hungrily held on as it absorbed more and more of Ramuh's essence and divinity.

Unable to retreat, Ramuh could only continue to fight, which wrought more agony upon Leung. Blood flowed out freely from his mouth and if it was not for the Duchess who had recovered and ripping the corner of her robe and putting it into Leung's mouth, he would had bitten his tongue off.

"Do something!" Duchess Manarva yelled at Nerssia who remained still as a statue as she watched Leung convulsing on the floor. "Stop the ritual! You are killing him!"

"All in faith," Nerssia smiled underneath her mask. "Soon, he shall be reborn as a God and cleanse this filthy world of its sins!"

"You are crazy!" Duchess Manarva growled and she stood up. Her body ached all over from the earlier divine pressure exerted upon her but her eyes glowed with determination. She suddenly lashed out with her leg, catching the Chief Inquisitor by surprise.

The crystal idol flew off her hands and rolled away to one corner. Underneath her mask, Nerssia's face contorted into fury as she charged at the Duchess. Fists flew and were blocked as both women fought in unarmed combat. The fight went on for several bouts without a clear winner as both women were highly trained in the arts of unarmed fighting. Despite both women were injured, one having being subjected to divine pressure, while the other suffering a stab wound in an earlier battle, it only further leveled the playing field.

"I will KILL YOU!" Nerssia finally let out a crazed scream of rage and frustration as the fight dragged on. "You- You dare defile Lord Ramuh with your filthy body! DIE!"

She threw herself forward without any care to her body, taking punches and kicks. Duchess Manarva could not stop her and suddenly she found herself trapped back against the wall. A moment of distraction caused her when Nerssia butt headed her causing her to slam the back of her head against the cold stone walls, knocking her dazed.

Nerssia quickly took advantage of the situation and saddled the Duchess and throttled her throat with both hands. The Duchess gasped for air and desperately tried to fight while Nerssia continued to scream crazily. Suddenly, Nerssia was pulled away and Duchess Manarva rolled over coughing as her lungs refilled with air.

She turned around and with surprise, saw a blood covered Leung pulling Nerssia away. Too surprised and with her throat in pain, she could only dumbly watch Nerssia stare at Leung with captivation as she bent the knee to him. In that moment, A sense of loss overcame the Duchess Manarva as she knew the person that had saved her more than a few times was gone from this world.