Prologue
Year 3506, a millennium after the End War
Ruins of Khor-shakal, the Heart of the Conclave
Secondary Daelaam Outpost
The looming ruins of the Heart of the Conclave covers the bright sunlight shining above the zealot Kretari, as he patrols the surrounding area. While peace has finally descended upon the war torn Firstborn a millennium after the End War, skirmishes and fights started to break out between tribes and groups within the Daelaam. The current Hierarch, Divanus, an old Templar who was then under the command of the then Executor and the first Hierarch, Artanis, during the Great War, re-established the outposts as part of the security measures demanded by the Protectorate Council.
"This is folly," Kretari voiced out loud.
"Such thoughts are not wise, young Kretari," a voice said.
"Show yourself!" declared Kretari, turning around and igniting his psi blades, poised to attack.
"Calm yourself young Templar, you must practice patience if you want to serve the Hierarchy well."
The voice uncloaked, revealing a robed Protoss warrior – a Dark Templar. Kretari unsheathed his psi blades as the Dark Templar approached him.
"Master Ornatus, I apologize for my outburst."
"I know I must be patient – as this is part of our duty for Aiur, but I do believe that these outposts is a folly move by the Hierarch, and the Hierarchy is being pressured by the Council. It is outrageous that the once glorious Hierarchy is now a puppet – a follower of the Council! This is just like the old caste system, the Templar being ordered around by the Judicators, as it was in the old days of the Empire," said Kretari.
"Young one, the situation is frustrating I know, but we must endure. The Hierarch knows what he is doing. The High Executor knows the situation as well. We Templar must do our duty as the Hierarchy commands," said Ornatus, as the two warriors walked along the cobbled path of the ruins.
Kretari laughed, shaking his head, "High Executor Abraxis knows the situation? Master, he is not even here on Aiur! He is aboard the Spear of Adun, monitoring non-existent threats! The Praetor Guard is silent at the oppression of the Council as well! Even the Dark Prelate Palinus, our Sword, who normally so outspoken, is silent! Master, the Council was established a few centuries ago as a balance to the leadership, to the Hierarchy is it not? They are there to give counsel to the leaders of the Hierarchy, not to give orders in guise of 'advice' and threatening the withdrawal of their support to the Hierarchy if they are not followed! Majority of the Daelaam do not know the situation and it saddens me that after centuries of peace, fights between our people are starting again."
"Young Kretari, I share your sentiments, yes. But our people support the 'recommendation' of the Council, and the Hierarch is pressed to follow their 'advice.' We do not know what caused the fights that broke out in the past few days, but from what I heard from Matriarch Venara, they are already investigating it," said Ornatus walking toward the Secondary Outpost.
The outpost was a small one. Two pylons and a deployed warp prism that powers two warpgates, three photon cannons, a shield battery and a khaydarin monolith – standard in a small outpost. An immortal approached the arriving Templar.
"En taro Zeratul, Master Ornatus. Our observer has reported back. A spike of psionic energy was detected a few clicks away from our position. It is very unusual, as this particular area was never repopulated and already abandoned by our people for a long time," said the immortal.
"Strange indeed. And the other patrols? Have they returned?" inquired Ornatus.
"They have not, and –– Master, there they are! And they are being pursued by an arbiter!" exclaimed the immortal.
"Activate the defensive systems warriors! Defend the outpost!"
As the group of zealots approached the outpost, the arbiter fired a stasis field, freezing the zealots. The outpost's defenses started targeting the arbiter and as it was destroyed, the cloaking field it provided disappeared, revealing a large group of protoss warriors poised to attack the outpost.
"Brethren, what is your purpose? In the name of the Hierarch, I command you to lay down your weapons!" demanded Ornatus.
"Dark Templar. You are not in place to give us commands! Only the Conclave can order us!" exclaimed a zealot from the attackers.
"The Conclave? You are speaking madness Templar! The Conclave has been disbanded, gone a long time ago!" said Ornatus.
"That is enough. The Conclave ordered the destruction of all the outposts in the outlying area. Warriors, clear them out!" ordered a high templar from the attackers.
"Defend the outpost! En taro Artanis!" exclaimed Kretari.
However valiantly the defenders fought, they were outnumbered, outmatched. The immortal, first in the battle line has already lost its shields, its barrier ability already active. Ornatus, using his shadow fury ability, is going around slaying zealots and dragoons of the enemy. Kretari and his fellow zealots were fighting hand-to-hand, charging against enemy zealots.
"There's too many of them Master!" exclaimed Kretari.
"En taro Tassadar!" exclaimed the immortal, before exploding. Stalkers and zealots of the defenders were one by one being decimated. The photon cannons were already destroyed, as well as the monolith. The warp gates, powered down, were unable to provide reinforcements. The attackers have already destroyed the observers, the last one left too far to detect enemy dark templar as they slay the zealots defending the outposts.
"Kretari, you must fall back! Bring the observer with you, report to the Hierarch of what happened here today! I will provide you cover so that you may escape!" said Ornatus, as he slays one of the enemy zealots attacking him.
"No! I will not leave you to die here Master!" protested Kretari.
"You must young Templar, the Hierarchy must know of this. Go! Quickly! We have little time left!" said Ornatus, pushing the young zealot towards the direction of the lone observer at the far back of the outpost.
"Your sacrifice will not be forgotten, Master Ornatus!" said Kretari, running towards the observer.
"For the Matriarch! For the Daelaam!" exclaimed Ornatus, as he valiantly fought. But slowly, the dark templar was overwhelmed by the large number of attackers.
Approaching the observer, Kretari checked its systems. "The observer is damaged. I must escape quickly and bring this to the Hierarch!"
"You are too late zealot. Just as your dark templar master is too late as well. We will restore the glory of the Empire and rid of the failed Hierarchy!" exclaimed the high templar attacker, as Kretari was surrounded by zealots, dragoons and archons.
"This observer is one of the High Executor's! I might be able to transmit the data gathered by the observer to the Spear, and use it as a weapon against this traitors," thought Kretari. "Yes. I will die today by the hands of my fellow protoss, but I will not go down without a fight!" exclaimed Kretari, activating the transmittal beam of the observer and overloading its systems – white light flashing and blinding the attackers. Igniting his psi blade, Kretari managed to charge towards the high templar, enduring the psionic blasts fired against him and piercing the high templar in the abdomen, as various warp and psi blades pierced him in the chest as well.
"For Aiur," whispered Kretari, as the observer explodes – killing the enemy surrounding him as well.