Legate taps into the Eater of Souls knowledge

The Knight didn’t reply beyond a groan as the Vizier rose, his face grim. “I did not want to do this… it was so much better taking advantage of the fears and ambitions of others. Cognitum. Dawn. You. Even Blackjack. Now it seems that I have no choice.”

He walked to the edge of the platform, sitting and spreading his hooves wide. “Stars of the dark places. Stars of ash. Stars of death. I beseech thee. Tell me the dance of your circles. How has Discord marred your celestial orbits? Please! I beg thee. Ashur. Dagon. Namtar. Show me…”

A blue-white glow surrounded him, cold and clear, and his anger stilled. A frigid shaft of light seemed to drop upon him, and the air around him groaned and crackled. A sickly green glow began to shine out of his chest, pulsing with each beat. “Things have gone awry…” he began, and the groan around him deepened ominously. The beating green light slowed, and a spasm of pain crossed the Vizier’s face. “But all will be set right, greatest and most glorious ones! I beg you… what was the meddler’s last ploy?” The glowing beat slowly resumed, and a tense smile returned to his face. “I see. I understand. And Cognitum?” The shivery light rang as if it were laughing. A look of relief spread on his face. “Thank you. Then I succeeded. She is not the true Maiden, now or ever.”

“What are you doing?” the Knight groaned. “What is that light?” It throbbed like veins of green radiance within the Vizier’s hide. “What are you?”

The zebra didn’t answer immediately, and when he did, his voice had a soft, unnatural tone to it. “The light of stars that died long ago, and would not go quietly into the darkness.” The Tokomare began to glow as well, the starmetal shining with the malignant green glare of Enervation. Even the Knight’s armor took on an ethereal illumination. In that light were strange, incoherent things suggestive of faces and tendrils and other terrible shapes hidden within the silvery radiance. “And the two he took?” Now his smile faded. “Interesting… Their time is up soon as well?”

“Stop. P…please… stop…” the former Steel Ranger muttered weakly, metal hooves clenched against his helmet.

“We did not stop for Caesars or Princesses. What makes you think we would stop for you?” The light continued to wash over everything for a few moments longer, the Enervation scream now sounding like the whisper of hundreds of unholy voices. They hinted at ways to break things. Corrupt things. Undo things that should not be undone. Make things that should not be made. Then he nodded. “I see. Blackjack was the only factor then?” Another pause. “And she is no more?” More hissing whispers. “Tell me she is no more...” They rose and fell, and made the zebra frown. “Blackjack is broken…” He muttered the phrase as if tasting it and finding it to his liking. “Good. Then all is accounted for,” he said as he rose to his hooves, his face sublime with confidence as the glow faded.

“What… what was that?” the Knight muttered weakly as he drew himself to his hooves.

“Things far greater and more glorious than you. They’ve shown me their secret orbits and the drawing of their power. Discord affected something, but it was slight. The tiniest wobble of the outplay of events. A hair’s shift out of alignment, ultimately for naught.” He trotted towards the lift.