Ignite the Sun

It took a while for Tharosk to adjust to the darkness beyond the portal - his surroundings were familiar, but off.

The architecture was in line with Serakhiin fortresses, but everything was dark and neglected.

"Where are we?"

"Abandoned northern excursion outpost." The Pathseeker informed him. "Please wait here while I retrieve my... associate."

Tharosk new better than to argue with someone who just transported him across the entire world in the span of a second - affiliated with the empire or not, Pathseekers were among the most powerful people among the Blightborn.

So he waited.

***

Tharosk was beyond disgusted when he saw the Pathseeker's associate.

"You work with a dustling?"

His comment was ignored by the man in question.

"Nice to meet you as well, I'm Kalim." The man grinned and turned to the Pathseeker. "You haven't tuned him yet?"

"I was about to." The Pathseeker stated drily. "We shall discuss everything once I'm done."

"You should have done it before you brought me here."

The Pathseeker approached Thorask and put his hand on the Ravager's forehead.

"Do not resist."

Then there was pain.

Scorching and sudden, but very short - when it stopped the world around him changed; everything was clearer, more... real.

But more importantly, the little voice constantly telling him to obey the Blight was gone. His connection to it was still there, he could feel the familiar power throbbing in his veins, but it was calmer somewhat, like he was more in control of it than usual.

"What did you do to me?" Tharosk breathed.

"I released you from the Blight's hold." The Pathseeker retracted his hand. "It will no longer impede your judgement and restrict your actions."

"Thratvar here thinks that your kind has been enslaved by the Blight, but instead of getting completely rid of it, he wants to use it as a tool." Kalim explained. "I think it's a bonkers idea, but since some of our goals overlap we formed a temporary alliance."

"You're a rebel group." Tharosk finally understood.

"In the sense that we want to change the status quo, yes, but make no mistake - I want to liberate the empire, not destroy it." Thratvar said. "If our kind is so great, then why are we letting ourselves be enslaved by something that should work for us?"

Tharosk opened his mouth to argue, but then realised he didn't have any counterarguments - the Pathseeker's words made perfect sense.

When Thratvar used the strange power on him, he did feel liberated - like he was actually himself for the first time in his life.

But that didn't mean Tharosk didn't have questions.

"Is that all of you? Two people isn't enough to liberate a whole empire."

"Hence why we're recruiting you." The Pathseeker answered. "We also have another human collaborator, but he's busy with a long term task."

"Speaking of dust... humans, how are you not corrupted?" The Ravager questioned.

"Who says I'm not?" Kalim smirked. "With the help of Thratty-"

"I told you to stop calling me that."

"-we managed to suppress the corruption in the same way he freed your mind, it prevents me from becoming a withered while also giving me cool new powers. The only downside is that I can't use magic anymore."

"You'd do well to remember that tuning on humans does not last forever." Thratvar huffed. "Sooner or later you will need to find a permanent solution, unless you want to die in a very painful way."

"So you keep saying, but nothing happened yet." Kalim shrugged. "I'll worry about it once a foulbloom starts growing out of my eye socket."

The man turned around and walked away, whistling all the while.

"Careless fool."

"You don't seem to like him, and he doesn't respect you - why do you even cooperate? Surely you can find someone more... agreeable." Tharosk questioned.

"We don't always see eye to eye, but he's extremely useful - do not underestimate him simply because he's full of himself."

"If you say so." Tharosk paused. "...what is it that you do actually? You don't seem to be converting people to your cause, and I've never heard of your group."

"Just because people don't directly join us, it doesn't mean they're not allying themselves with us - we receive from many sources."

"Help...?" Tharosk eyes widened. "You were the group Nethur was helping!"

"It's a pity she got caught, but she managed to fullfil her purpose - don't tell me you're sad about what happened to her? I thought you two hated each other."

"How do you...!?"

"Know that? Your entire fortress was under my surveillance until that bastard arrived." Thratvar sneered. "His presence disrupted my plans somewhat, but he'll go back to his cushy office in the Imperial capital soon enough."

"Do you know him? Or why was he dispatched here?"

"His name is Verttram, we worked together when I was still a part of the imperial Pathseekers - in fact I was the one to mentor him when he first joined them. As for his task here, I have no idea - it's very rare to send such an elite Pathseeker to an already conquered world."

"Could it have something to do with the fact that the natives here aren't extinct?"

"Very unlikely, there are a myriad of worlds we conquered that retain some of their native residents." Thratvar looked actually somewhat interested by the topic. "His orders supposedly came from the Dreadmarshal, but have you ever heard of a Dreadmarshal giving orders to an imperial institution unaffiliated with any army?"

Tharosk shook his head - he hadn't questioned this before, but I'm hindsight it really was quite weird.

"That's why I don't think his orders came from the Dreadmarshal."

"But from who then? Who would be bold enough to pose as Korratoth?"

"There's only one person above the Dreadmarshals in terms of standing, a person whom no one would dare to question..."

"The Blight Queen? But why would she care about some random world we invaded centuries ago?"

"I don't know - but I'm glad you started this topic, since finding this out will be our next task."

It seemed like they had quite a lot of work ahead of them if they wanted to uncover anything related to Her.

There was no time to lose.